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Derek Branning
Summary Derek's the eldest Branning brother - and he's proper East End. When he was young, he had his own gang and they terrorised anyone who crossed their path. He ended up in prison and almost didn’t make it out alive. He realises he now has his work cut out to regain his status as top dog, but he's willing to wait - although not for too long! Is Walford the place he can make his mark? Derek's real wish is to be reinstated as head of the Branning clan, something he's missed for the last 30 years. He's a charmer and is on the lookout for a woman who’ll understand him. But he can also out-alpha almost any man in Albert Square. Oh, and Derek never fights fair… Derek's Life On The Square Derek first appears when he attends April's (Debbie Arnold) wedding to her Greek fiancé Nikos. Derek and his father Jim (John Bardon) goad Carol's black boyfriend Alan (Howard Antony) due to their racist attitudes, and try to start fights with him. He lives with his parents and does his best to split Alan and Carol up. He does not succeed, and Carol and Alan marry the same day after April is jilted. Derek and his father walk out of the wedding in protest and Derek continues to goad Carol and Alan after the ceremony. Carol retaliates by humiliating him about still living at home at the age of 32. Derek subsequently attacks Alan, but is stopped by David Wicks (Michael French), who then beats him up as revenge for Derek beating him up when they were teenagers. A shamed Derek departs. In 1999, Jim mentions to Carol that Derek is going through a messy divorce. In 2007, Derek's younger brother Max Branning (Jake Wood) reveals that Derek is in prison. In January 2011, Derek is mentioned during an argument between Max and Carol after Max discovers Carol's relationship with Connor Stanley (Arinze Kene). Max recites Carol's past relationships, including getting pregnant by David Wicks when she was 14, and he says Derek sorted David out by beating him up and saving Carol from a broken heart. Derek returns in November (played by Foreman) along with Max, who has been staying with him in Leyton. They visit Max's ex-wife Tanya Jessop (Jo Joyner), where Derek recognises her mother Cora Cross (Ann Mitchell) and sister Rainie Cross (Tanya Franks), to whom he is attracted. He reminds her of when they had sex at Max and Tanya's wedding. Derek then recognises Pat Evans (Pam St Clement) and forces his way into her home, and she is fearful of him. He reveals he was in prison for 10 years for armed robbery. Carol enters and is not happy to see him. However, Derek says he has changed and wants his family's support, though Carol is unwilling to give it. Derek and Max then prepare to leave for Manchester, but they are stopped by his niece, Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa), saying that Tanya has cancer and needs help. Max goes to Tanya and Derek tells Carol and his brother Jack (Scott Maslen) that the Brannings have to stick together. Derek starts a sexual relationship with Rainie after she is kicked out of Tanya's home. She then sees a large scar on his back. Derek then bumps into Michael Moon (Steve John Shepherd) who is an old family friend of the Brannings, who he used to torment as a child. Michael fears Derek and after Derek agrees to help Michael's girlfriend Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks), Michael tells her to keep away from him. Janine then asks Derek to help her get squatters out of her flat, which he does successfully. When Derek finds out that Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) has had Jack's car crushed, he confronts Phil, saying that he has made an enemy of him as well. After the local B&B is destroyed in an explosion, Derek convinces Liam Butcher (James Forde) to retrieve some valuable copper pipes from the building, leaving his grandmother, Pat, infuriated. Shortly after, Derek receives a visit from his probation officer and it is clear that Pat is responsible. Furious, Derek visits her and angrily threatens her, resulting in her collapsing on the kitchen floor shortly after. Relationships Rainie Derek insinuates that him and Rainie know each other very well when they meet again. Watch this space. About Jamie Foreman Jamie Foreman is best known for his role as as Duke in Layer Lake and Bill Sikes in Roman Polanski's Oliver Twist (2005). He's also appeared in Law and Order: UK, and in Gary Oldman's movie Nil by Mouth Star sign: N/a Eye colour: Brown Height: N/a First appearance: 29.04.1996 Category:Male Category:Present Characters Category:Criminal Category:Brother